Toy bank



V. DUNN Sept. 27, 1955 TOY BANK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1953 Virgil Dunn INVENTOR.

Sept. 27, 1955 v. DUNN 2,718,726

' TOY BANK Filed May 29, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y ,9 73 J/B 0 'il' 7 C; 'I

I Virgil Dunn INVENTOR.

BY M

Sept. 27, 1955 Filed May 29, 1953 V. DUNN TOY BANK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ig.5 0 //v y Q s 74 I6 5 \W/ Virgil Dunn INVENTOR.

TOY BANK Virgil Dunn, Charleston, W. Va.

Application May 29, 1953, Serial No. 358,333

Claims. (Cl. 463) This invention relates primarily to a childs bank and pertains more particularly to an improved construction of the same.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a childs bank which will induce children to save money.

Another object of this invention is to provide a childs bank of improved construction which incorporates a most active inducement for saving money.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the bank;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the assembly shown in Figure l with the top cover removed;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the details of the internal construction of the bank;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the plane of section 44 of Figure 3, showing details of the coin retaining assembly;

Figure 5 is another vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 5--5 of Figure 3, showing details of the battery case assembly;

Figure 6 is another vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 6--6 of Figure 3, showing details of the viewing chamber;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 77 of Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a portion of the viewing chamber.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates a removable top member for the bank assembly while the reference numerals 12, 14, 16, illustrate respectively the side walls, the end walls and the bottom thereof. As seen more clearly in Figure 6, one of the side walls 12 may be provided with the lock assembly 18 having a locking pin 20 engageable with a keeper plate 22 of the bottom 16 and this lock assembly is preferably key controlled to prevent access to the interior of the bank through the bottom thereof and consequently through the coin releasing assembly hereinafter described.

A vertical partition member 24 is secured between opposed side walls 12 and subdivides the housing of the bank assembly into the viewing chamber 26 and the coin chamber 28. A portion of one of the side walls 12 forming a part of the viewing chamber, is provided with a rectangular aperture 30 provided with the transparent material 32 to provide a window in such side wall portion and the inner surface of the opposed side wall is provided with a picture member 34 secured thereto, visible through the window. Due to the fact that the housing forming the main portion of the bank is completely inclosed, the interior of the viewing chamber will normally be so dark 2 7 l 8 ,72 6' Patented Sept. 27, 1955 as to prevent a person looking through the window 32 from seeing clearly the ornamental picture member 34. This forms an important feature of this invention inasmuch as the light 36 disposed within the viewing chamber is adapted for energization through its conductors 38 and 40 to light the interior of the viewing chamber when the hereinafter described coin retaining mechanism is filled to a predetermined level so that a person may view the ornamental picture 34 within such chamber. In this respect, it will be readily appreciated that this feature forms an active inducement for the saving of coins inasmuch as a child will be eager to view the ornamental picture.

The light 36 is conventional in nature and is received in the threaded socket member 42, which is suitably secured by the clip member 44 to a bracket 46, secured to one side wall 12. A reflecting shelf 48 is secured to the side wall carrying the ornamental picture and serves as a reflection surface to direct light upon the picture.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the coin chamber 28 is provided with a battery case 50, suitably secured to the partition member 24 as by the U clamp 52 and this chamber also receives the coin retaining assembly indicated generally by the reference character 53.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 5, it will be seen that the battery case is cylindrical in configuration and is provided at its upper end with the cover portion 54 having a centrally disposed aperture 56 receiving the shank of the hat-shaped insulating member 58. The cap 60 is disposed on the end cover 54 and is provided with an aperture 62 in register with the aperture 56, which receives the shank of another hat-shaped insulating member 64, these insulating members being normally spaced apart in the manner shown in receiving therebetween the enlarged shoulder 66 of the contact member 6% whose lower free end projects within the battery case in the manner shown. The batteries 7% are disposed within the casing and the upper of these batteries electrically contacts the lower end of the contact member 68, the upper end thereof being connected to the conductor 38, previously described. The lower open end of the battery casing is externally threaded, as indicated by the reference character 72, which is engaged by the cover member 74, urging the contact springs 76 into engagement with the metallic case of the lower battery so that the battery case forms electrical connection therewith in a well known manner.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 4, it will be seen that the elongated tubular member 78 is provided with a lower open end and a slot 80 at its upper end, this upper end being projected through a suitably formed aperture 32 in the top member 10, the fit therebetween being tight enough to normally maintain the top member in position. An enlarged shoulder 84 is formed in the tubular member just below the slot 80 therein and just below the shoulder is formed an aperture 86 which receives the shank of the hat-shaped insulating member 88. The retaining bar 91 is suitably secured to the outer surface of the tubular member and is provided with the aperture 92 receiving the shank portion of the insulating member 94, these insulating members being normally spaced apart in the manner shown to engage therebetween the enlarged shoulder portion 96 of the plunger contact member 98, the inner end of this contact plunger being projected within the tubular member '78 and the outer end thereof being connected to the previously described conductor 42'). The bracket member 1% securing the tubular member to the side wall 12 is in engagement with the bracket member 102 aiding in support of the battery casing 50 so that the casing and the tubular member are electrically connected together as will be evident. The lower end of the tubular member is provided with the cover member 104 in engage- Flee meat therewith to normally close the same and provide a coin retaining chamber therein so that suitable coins 106 disposed within the tubular member through the slot 30 will become stacked in the manner indicated until such time as a sufficient quantity of coins have been received in the tubular member to engage against the free end 108 of the contact plunger to make electrical connection therewith and complete the circuit through the conductor 38 and 40, to the light 36, to energize the same and enable the user to view the ornamental picture 34 disposed within the viewing chamber. it will be noted that the enlarged shoulder portion 84 of the tubular member serves to direct coins inserted through the slot 80 toward the bottom thereof and tends to prevent premature or accidental contact between a coin and the contact end 103 prior to filling of the chamber with the proper amount of coins. Moreover, the insulated block member 110 is suitably secured to the inner surface of the tubular member and overlies the upper edge of the free end 108 of the contact plunger so as to prevent the edge of a coin from falling thereon and making premature contact therewith. In this respect, it will be noted that the cooperation between the shoulder 84 and the insulating block 110 is such that it is very unlikely that premature contact will be made with the contact member 98 by a coin disposed within the tubular member 78, no matter what position the bank is moved into.

The cover member 104 is provided with a looped pull handle 112 for moving the same out of engagement with the lower end of the tubular member to allow coins to be removed therefrom when the bottom cover member 16 has been removed.

Referring more particularly to Figures 2, 3, and 7, it will be seen that the cover member is provided with laterally opposed end portions 114 carrying the vertical pin 116 and it will be seen that spring housings 118 are suitably secured to the outer surface of the tubular member 78. Pistons 120 are secured to the threaded upper end 122 of the pin members 116 and the springs 124- disposed concentrically of the latter, engage the upper surface of the lateral portions of the cover member and the under surface of the pistons so as to normally maintain the assembly in the position shown. Since the lower end of the spring 122 bears against the annular shoulder 126 of the spring housing 113, the spring will be compressed when the handle 112 is pulled downwardly to carry with it the pin 116 and pistons 120. This, of course, releases coins disposed within the tubular member 73.

It will be readily apparent that the assembly herein shown and described constitutes a simple and economical bank assembly which will be very beneficial in inducing children to save their money.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A childs bank comprising a housing having a chamber therein, a window in said housing, and an ornamental member in said chamber visible through said window, a coin retaining mechanism in said housing, a normally open electrical circuit including a light in said chamber, said coin retaining mechanism including an elongated tubular member closed at one end and slotted at the other end to receive coins, said housing having an opening adjacent said slotted end, said circuit also including said tubular member and a contact secured in insulated relation to said tubular member adjacent said slotted end, said contact having a portion projecting within said tubular member for completing said circuit and energizing said light when the tubular member is filled to a predetermined level with coins.

2. A childs bank comprising a housing having a chamber therein, a window in said housing, and an ornamental member in said chamber visible through said window, a coin retaining mechanism in said housing, a normally open electrical circuit including a light in said chamber, said coin retaining mechanism including an elongated tubular member having a slotted upper end for receiving coins, said housing having an opening adjacent said slotted end, said circuit also including said tubular member and a contact secured in insulated relation to said tubular member adjacent said slotted end, said contact having a portion projecting within said tubular member for completing said circuit and energizing said light when the tubular member is filled to a predetermined level with coins, a cover member engaged against the lower end of said tubular member and being movable out of engagement therewith for removing coins from the tubular member.

3. A childs bank comprising a housing having a chamber therein, a window in said housing, an ornamental member in said chamber visible through said window, a coin retaining mechanism in said housing, an electrical circuit including a light in said chamber, said coin retaining mechanism including an elongated tubular member closed at one end and slotted at the other end to receive coins, said housing having an opening adjacent said slotted end, said circuit also including said tubular member and a contact secured in insulated relation to said tubular member adjacent said slotted end, said contact having a free end portion projecting within said tubular member for completing said circuit and energizing said light when the tubular member is filled to a predetermined level with coins.

4. A childs bank comprising a housing having a chamber therein, a window in said housing, an ornamental member in said chamber visible through said window, a coin retaining mechanism in said housing, an electrical circuit including a light in said chamber, said coin retaining mechanism including an elongated tubular mem ber closed at one end and slotted at the other end to receive coins, said housing having an opening adjacent said slotted end, said circuit also including said tubular member and a contact secured in insulated relation to said tubular member adjacent said slotted end, said contact having a free end portion projecting within the tubular member for completing said circuit and energizing said light when the tubular member is filled to a predermined level with coins, an insulating member carried by said tubular member adjacent the upper edge of said contact.

5. A childs bank comprising a housing having a top, bottom, and side walls, a window opening in one of said side walls and an ornamental member secured to an opposite side wall visible through said opening, a normally open electrical circuit including a light and a source of electrical energy within said housing, said housing having a coin opening therein, a coin retaining mechanism within said housing adjacent said coin opening and including means constituting part of said circuit for closing the same and connecting said source of electrical energy to said light when the retaining mechanism is filled to a predetermined level with coins, said means comprising an elongated tubular member closed at one end and slotted at the other end to receive coins and a contact secured in insulated relation to said tubular member adjacent said slotted end, said contact having a free end portion projecting within the tubular member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,071 MacPherson Sept. 20, 1898 1,260,133 Birdsall Mar. 19, 1918 1,300,361 Edelman Apr. 15, 1919 1,917,517 Goepel July 11, 1933 2,439,136 Kahn Apr. 6, 1948 

